Jack's Wage Slavery Pt. 01

Author's Notes:

'Jack's Wage Slavery Part 1 & 2' is the fourth story in the saga of Jack Danner. Minimal effort is made in this tale to explain the backstory so it is highly recommended you read the first three stories in the following order:

• Jack's New Job
• Jack's New Position
• Jack's Daily Grind

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.

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Jack's Wage Slavery - Part 1

Chapter 1

Jack struggled to move his arms but they remained lifeless dead weights pinned to the platform he was trapped on. He couldn't see anything in the inky darkness of the chamber he was being held captive in. Oppressive heat bathed his body and sweat covered his limbs. He struggled to draw a breath but something was blocking his nose and mouth.

A deep rumbling droned on and on in his ear.

He tried to call out but he couldn't get a breath and his voice was drowned out by the rumbling.

He suddenly realized he was going to die in this pit of darkness and heat.

Alone.

Jack woke up gasping for air as his heart pounded with his dread. His gasp was rewarded with a mouthful of fur and hair.

Turning his face to clear his mouth, he blinked the sleep from his eyes and realized he was pinned to his mattress under the hot bodies of two females. Diana, a tall ebony haired human, was lying on her right side covering his right arm, the round dome of her pregnant stomach resting on the mattress. Her back was tucked up tight against his side and her long hair was flowing back over his face.

SennLann, the ebony furred Phem Kalos who resembled a tailless cat, was squeezed up against his left side, her smaller but still bulging tummy resting on his left arm. Her furry left arm was flung up over his face and she was purring loudly in his ear as she slept.

Jack realized his arms really were dead weight from the two ladies sleeping on them.

"Diana! SennLann! Wake up!" he called to them and felt them begin to stir. The purring immediately stopped and he felt the feline's nose pressing against his cheek.

"You're lying on my arms!" he complained to get them to move quicker.

"Ugh, you're all sweaty!" Diana growled as she slid herself away from him. SennLan stretched and accidentally scratched Jack's chest with one of her sharp claws.

"Ouch! Hey! Be careful!" he yelped.

"Don't be a crybaby! I'm moving!" Diana replied thinking he was talking to her.

"No, SennLann just scratched me!"

"Are you the baby who cries Jack?" the feline female grinned sleepily as she rolled away from him, flicking her large tufted ears.

Jack gritted his teeth as his arms began to 'wake up' from their trapped state. Millions of pins and needles stabbed him up and down his arms.

He frowned at Diana who was rubbing her stomach fondly. "I wasn't sweaty when I went to bed alone last night. I thought you were more comfortable in the guest room."

She blinked her beautiful green eyes at him and pouted. "I woke up and needed to feel you close by."

He tore his eyes away from hers with difficulty and looked into the gold eyes looking back at him from his other side. "I know for a fact that you were sleeping in your own room when I went to bed last night. How did you end up here?"

"I entered the final phase of my pregnancy last night. I am drawing very close to my delivery date so I must be close to my mate. As he's still on Phem Kalos playing those silly war games you introduced him to I naturally came to your bed. Crybaby," she grinned at his frown.

He really was a sweaty mess and the ladies weren't much better. He'd have to wash the sheets as well.

Jack was finally able to lift his arms from the bed though his control hadn't completely returned. He grimaced as he flexed his hands feeling the numbness slowly fading. He looked at the clock and realized he was up an hour early. The cold, sick dread from his nightmare was still lingering so he didn't feel like trying to get more sleep. He decided to go for a run. Hopefully he'd be able to clear his mind of the remnants of the nightmare with exercise.

He pushed himself awkwardly off the bed and padded over to the washroom. He drained his bladder then quickly stepped into the shower to rinse his body. There was no real point in fully washing himself if he was going to run but he didn't want to start out looking and feeling like a drowned rat. He stepped out and quickly dried himself in front of the mirror.

He'd been able to get back to his routine of running in the morning. He'd managed to tighten up his muscles and lose the jiggly stuff that had begun to accumulate. He was back to his normal lean body... well, almost. He looked up.

Horns.

He stared at himself in the mirror and wondered if he would ever get used to seeing the large black horns rising from his forehead and curving back over his head. At least they'd stopped growing. Three inches wide at the base and ten inches from base to their deadly sharp points. He'd learned just how dense they were when he'd actually deflected bullets from them, leaving behind brilliant streaks of silver from the bullets. With the extra mass on his head the muscles on his neck, shoulder, chest, and back had grown to compensate and his skeletal system had altered to support the extra mass as well. He wasn't hugely muscled but he no longer had the slim runner's body he once did. He thought he looked a little top heavy but he was a little biased towards his original shape.

He'd been concerned the horns and the extra muscle mass would affect his running but so far it hadn't.

He walked back into the bedroom and heard two appreciative growls. He looked to the bed and saw green and gold eyes glowing back at him. Both licked their lips as they looked at his naked body.

"No! I'm going for a run. I need... to clear the cobwebs from my mind," he said sternly.

"Oh poo! You never want to have morning sex!" Diana pouted.

Jack looked at her incredulously. "Excuse me? What about yesterday when you had me take you on the kitchen table? And the day before that in the shower? What was the day before that...oh yes. We never made it from the bedroom until I was late for work!"

Diana was smiling now, recalling the delicious sex from the previous days.

SennLann was about to say something when Jack interrupted her. "For you it was when I got home from work last night. You're not a morning person."

The princess smiled and nodded.

He pulled on his running shorts, socks, and a tight running shirt. As he pulled it over his head he heard the telltale ripping sound of the fabric tearing as it snagged on the point of one of his horns. "Dammit! There goes another shirt!" he cursed. He pulled it off and sure enough there was a large tear down the back. He dug in his drawer and the only thing he could find was an oversized, stretched out t-shirt Diana had taken to wearing which he was NOT going to wear. He decided he'd just go without this morning. He'd need to do some shopping again.

He strapped his music player to his arm and put his ear buds in.

Jack looked back at the bed and the women were still drinking him in with their eyes. He grinned. "Have you ladies seen the Gun Show?" he quipped and flexed his muscles at them. Delighted giggles erupted and he headed to the kitchen with a grin on his face. He drank one of his energy shakes while he looked into the fridge to see what he'd make for breakfast when he got back. Then made his way to the front door, sat on the bench and put on his running shoes. When he stood up he was face to face with Diana.

"When will you be back?" she said running her finger over his muscles. She bit her lower lip as she gazed at his broad chest.

Jack took her hands in his and lifted her fingers to his lips. He sensually kissed the tips causing her to gasp. "I'll be back in about an hour." He slipped out the door as he heard her moan behind him.

He took the lift to the ground floor and started his music. He waved to the building's security staff as he crossed the lobby but he didn't see them staring at his body or hear the burst of giggles that followed him outside.

Jack loved his neighborhood. The building was within walking distance of work and was surrounded by seemingly endless walking and running paths. He could set off in any direction and run for hours without the scenery becoming dull or repetitive. Today he thought he'd go... right.

Before he did, he began his stretches as he was feeling a little residual tightness from his unusual start to the day. He rarely had nightmares and this one really disturbed him. He pulled his mind away from that and concentrated on easing his muscles into a better state. He leaned against a pillar supporting the building's front awning and bent slowly and deeply. He repeated this until he felt his muscles begin to warm and loosen. It was going to be a good run today.

His sandy blond hair fell forward over his face as he bent over. He pushed it aside with an annoyed swipe. He'd forgotten to tie it back with a rubber band when he left the bedroom. He really wanted to cut his hair short like he used to wear it on Earth but he'd have a mutiny on his hands at the Trade Commission and Embassy where he worked. The staff in both offices had let him know in no uncertain terms that as the Earth's Trade Commissioner for Altaria and Altaria's Ambassador he had to represent them by looking his best. ALL of his staff insisted this meant no haircuts though they understood his bangs got into his eyes so trimming there was allowed. He still had no idea where the clippings went... and he really didn't want to know.

He alternated mornings in the two offices and when he arrived one of his staff, the lucky winner apparently, got to braid his hair and tie it with a ribbon. He sighed with frustration. It now reached the middle of his back. He didn't feel like going back upstairs to get the band. He'd never make it past Diana.

He stood up and threw his hair back and glanced back at the building. He saw the three Altarian ladies from the security desk pressed up against the window watching him with rapt attention. He nodded to them and watched them scurry back to their station.

Altarians were... beautiful! Jack was always dazzled by their grace and gentle natures. They resembled the Satyrs of ancient Greek mythology. Petite with cloven hooved feet and hands with two strong fingers and opposable thumbs on both sides. Their bodies were covered with a felt like fur which ranged in color from blond to chocolate brown. The traditional garb was gossamer flowing gowns. Their heads were humanoid but their eyes were twice as large as a human's, had diagonal pupils, and the lids had long lashes. Their ears were long, pointed, expressively mobile, and typically projected horizontally. They had slim noses and wide, black lipped mouths. As a race of herbivores they had beautiful white teeth with a definite lack of fangs.

Males were rare with the birth ratio being ten females to every male. Generations ago the ratio had moved from eight to one and the subsequent upheaval in their society led to the males taking less of an active role in... well, just about everything. They were now creatures of leisure and Jack had little time for the 'self-absorbed loafs' as he considered them.

While they may have appeared shy and docile when it came to sex Altarian females were anything but passive. They had no bias towards Altarian males. Jack had discovered on his first meeting that they were very sexually liberated and energetic partners. He smiled thinking of Leffera and Karrel and his 'interview'.

Since his horns had grown in he was embarrassed to realize he'd become something of a celebrity for the female population who instinctively found them very attractive. Altarian males no longer had horns, the gene having become dormant.

He started jogging down the path to the right and took it slow at first. The little aches and pains surfaced and faded after a short time when his muscles smoothed out so he increased his pace.

This early in the morning the paths were mostly empty and it felt like he had the world to himself. After the nightmare he had this morning that thought wasn't as exhilarating as it should have been. He was actually kind of relieved when he saw three Altarian females crossing his path up ahead in a small cart.

One of the women noticed him running and frantically gestured to the other two. The cart wobbled as they altered their course to find a way back onto the path he was following.

Jack continued running. One of his favorite music tracks had begun playing and he felt his stride opening up to his ground eating pace. His heart beat strongly and his lungs worked like a bellows to keep his muscles fed. He was really getting into the zone.

Suddenly the cart was right next to him and he jumped to the side to give himself a little space.

He looked at the female sitting next to the driver and recognized her from the morning show Diana watched every day. She was the host. What was she doing out on the path at this hour? He glanced back and saw the passenger in the back of the cart, the one who had spotted him, was now pointing a camera at him. Actually she was panning the camera down his body which he found a little unnerving.

The host was trying to get his attention so he turned off his music.

"-m Kihani from Morning Light! Could I take a moment of your time to ask you a few questions for my show?" she was saying.

"Sorry... did you say... your name was... Kihani?" he gasped as he slowed his running back down to his slower pace. He wasn't giving up his morning run.

The woman smiled widely and nodded. "Yes, Kihani. My viewers are your biggest fans and this morning you look especially..." the female seemed to be at a loss for words then she glanced at the camera and he realized she was just playing for her viewer's sake. "...delicious!" she finished with a grin. She turned back to him. "Is this going to be your new running outfit? Small pants, shoes, and hair flowing in the wind?" She bit her lower lip as her eyes ate him up.

"No. I tore my... shirt on my... horns."

The woman with the camera panned it up and the driver accelerated a little to let her get a better shot of the front of his face to see the horns in all their glory.

"Yes, your beautiful horns! This is my first time seeing them in person and they are much more... impressive than I expected!" Kihani sighed, practically drooling.

Jack was beginning to feel really uncomfortable about the direction the 'interview' was taking. "Thanks... I should get... back to my run.... Busy day ahead," he said.

Kihani saw she was losing her star so she began talking before he could turn on his music. "Karrel introduced us to Alexander, your beautiful first child. Queen Elissa has Maximilian your second son and Gendolee-"

"Gwendolyn," he corrected.

"Yes, Gwen-do-lyn your daughter, but word is she's not your first female child."

"Word is?" he repeated with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, we received information that you had a daughter with another female. A close friend and secret lover!" Kihani smiled at the camera as if the viewers were in on the secret.

Jack suddenly realized the true nature of Morning Light. It was a gossip show! He'd thought it was a local news show! How disappointing.

"You are slipping... outside the realm... of public knowledge... reporting on... speculation and... rumor... personal information." Jack gave her a disapproving frown.

"Jack, you're a celebrity-" Kihani began.

"No, I'm a... public servant... Not the same... Right now I'm... just Jack Danner... private citizen." Jack was struggling to talk while jogging and he really wanted to get back to his run. As the conversation was slipping away from anything he was willing to discuss it was time to end it. He gave a wave and accelerated off down a path to the right before the driver could react and follow.

"What about the son you had with Judge Aaros!" Kihani yelled before they were out of range.

Jack scowled back at the morning show host but kept running. Judge Aaros was a very private woman. She'd been born with the monochromatism genetic disorder that for him resulted in his horns. For her its 'gift' was fur of purest white. Shunned by Altarian males for her rare coloration, she was a vision to behold, in Jack's opinion. Equally beautiful was her gentle and caring soul. The child they been blessed with didn't need to be exposed to the likes of Kihani.

As their son Douglas was born to such unique parents with the altered genes his coloration was unique as well. His fur was darkest black with bold zigzagging streaks of brilliant white. One of a kind and absolutely gorgeous in his parent's opinion. During his last visit Aaros showed him with delight that Douglas was growing horns as well. Just tiny buds for now but that's how they grew.

Kihani was right about Gwendolyn not being his first daughter. Leffera, his first Altarian lover, had given birth to his first daughter, Lillian, who was named after his mother. Leffera shed tears of joy when he shared his mother's story with her. He didn't often talk about his parents but he wanted Leffera to know how special his mother had been and the sacrifices she'd made to give him a safe and happy home when he was just a young boy. He was honored to be able to pass along her name to his daughter and he wanted to ensure the child would understand the significance. He'd also given Queen Elissa the story of Gwendolyn, his maternal grandmother. He had only a few direct memories of her but heard tales from his mother of the woman's strength and character. Elissa was delighted.

Jack turned his music on again and glanced at the time. He still had half an hour thanks to getting up so early. He picked up the pace and swung back onto a main path which would take him in a sweeping loop back to his apartment building. He spotted Kihani and her crew some distance away, frantically scanning the paths looking for him. He groaned when Kihani suddenly pointed in his direction and slapped at her driver to get them back on his tail. He did his best to ignore her but recalling how reckless the driver was he kept their position in the corner of his eye.

They were closing in. With a grin Jack saw his escape route. There was a series of small bridges crossing a narrow canal. If he could get to the bridges before they got to him he could put the water between them. He picked up his pace but seeing their progress he realized they really had no chance.

That's when he caught sight of the mother out for a morning walk with a baby carrier mounted on her stroller.

Kihani was still slapping her driver to get her to go faster so they didn't see the woman pushing her child into their path. The woman pushing the stroller wasn't expecting someone to be driving so recklessly fast.

Screaming and waving to get the driver's attention back on where they were going Jack changed his course and ran as hard as he could towards them but he knew he wasn't going to get there in time.

The camera operator was filming Jack and wondered what he was waving about. She looked away from the camera for a second and screamed as she saw the woman in their path. She leapt over the seat between the fighting women to wrench the steering wheel to the side. The cart was moving too fast to take such a vector change and it began to tip over. The cart's roof struck the mother across her shoulders slamming her forward against the stroller and she went down hard on the path and tumbled off into the grass. The stroller shot forward and careened down the path.

There was a horrible crash noise as the cart flipped onto its side and went into an uncontrolled slide. Its bumper caught the stroller and sent it airborne over the rail into the canal just before the cart slammed to a halt against the low retaining wall.